Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a system comprising a rimless stainless steel sink structured and disposed to be undermounted to a solid countertop wherein an interface between the stainless steel sink and the solid countertop comprises a seal which prevents water, bacteria, or debris from entering between the rimless upper edge of the stainless steel sink and the solid countertop. The present invention is further directed to methods for seamless undermount installation of a stainless steel sink to a solid countertop including but not limited to granite, marble, quartz stone, quartzite, porcelain, glass, engineered stone, multi-layered and/or composite materials.
Description of the Related Art
Stainless steel is the most popular sink style on the market today, and provides a complementary match to many kitchen appliances, such as, refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, water coolers, etc., which are also available in stainless steel or stainless steel finish. Sinks made of stainless steel offer numerous benefits including resistance to chipping, cracking or peeling. Furthermore, stainless steel sinks will not rust or fade, and they are easy to clean and maintain for a long periods of time relative to other materials of construction.
There are different types and corresponding methods for mounting stainless steel sinks to countertops. The most common and traditional type is a topmount sink, such as is shown in FIG. 1—PRIOR ART Topmount Sink. As is readily seen from FIG. 1, a wide flange extends completely around the topmount sink such that when the topmount sink is positioned through a cut-out in a solid material countertop, the flange rests on the top surface of the countertop and is secured thereto via adhesives and/or mechanical fasteners. As will be appreciated, however, the interface between the flange and the top surface of the countertop provides a place for water, moisture, bacteria, food, and other debris to accumulate thereby creating a visually unappealing and potentially unsanitary condition around the stainless steel sink.
Another common type of stainless steel sink for mounting to a countertop is an undermount sink. An example of a PRIOR ART Undermount Sink is illustrated in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the undermount sink comprises a much narrower flange which is structured and disposed to enable the sink to be attached to the bottom surface of a solid countertop below a sink cut-out therethrough. More in particular, undermount sinks have flat rims or flanges around the edges which may be glued and/or mechanically mounted to the bottom surface of the countertop using mounting clips and screws. The lip or sidewall of the sink cut out through the solid countertop must be finished to match the top surface, as it remains readily visible. Once again, however, an interface exists at the bottom of the sink cut out and the top of the undermount sink thereby allowing water, moisture, bacteria, food, and other debris to accumulate, once again, creating a visually unappealing and potentially unsanitary condition around the stainless steel sink.
More recently, a so-called “Flush-Mount” sink has been introduced to the market which has a much narrower and flatter rim or flange around the top. These flush mount sinks are structured to be mounted to a solid countertop through the top, wherein the narrow flat rim or flange rests in an equally narrow and thin recess cut into the solid countertop around the sink cut-out. As such, the combination of the narrow flat flange and the recess cut into the countertop serves to approximate a “flush-mount” appearance. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, however, considerable time, expense, expertise, and special equipment are required in order to cut a recess into granite or marble with the precision required to receive such a “flush-mount” stainless steel sink and approximate a “flush-mount” appearance.
As such, it would be beneficial to provide a seamless stainless steel sink system for installation to a solid material countertop including, but not limited to granite, marble, quartz stone, quartzite, porcelain, glass, engineered stone, multi-layered and/or composite materials, which eliminates an interface where water, moisture, bacteria, food, and/or other debris can accumulate and create unsightly and unsanitary conditions. It would be further advantageous for such a seamless stainless steel sink system to utilize standard fabrication materials and techniques in order to provide an economical alternative to the aforementioned “flush-mount” stainless steel sink systems. It would further be helpful for such a seamless stainless steel sink system to accommodate a variety of popular sink configurations including, but not limited to, rectangular, oval, kidney shaped, etc. Another benefit may be obtained by providing a stainless steel sink having a recessed divider between bowls to allow for seamless undermount installation of a stainless steel sink having more than one bowl.